Monday, May 16, 2016

New York City – A fresh round of authentic, bold and innovative Filipino
flavors is set to descend in New York City and New Jersey beginning today.

Filipino Restaurant Week 2016 was kicked off at a press event May 11th at the
Philippine Center in New York where the 15 participating restaurants invited foodies to
sample and embrace Filipino cuisine through their various menu offerings that feature
flavors that are at once exotic and familiar, two seemingly contrasting descriptions that
aptly characterize Filipino food.

Filipino Restaurant Week, or FRW was first launched in 2015 as a response to
the growing popularity of Philippine cuisine in the US mainstream and to put the
spotlight on Filipino restaurants in New York and New Jersey.

Consul General Mario de Leon Jr. presented to the press the participating
restaurants, whose culinary offerings cover a wide spectrum of Filipino food – from the
traditional, home-style flavors to the cutting edge fusion that incorporates bold
innovations.“Whatever the form, foodies are assured of a unique gastronomic
experience that will give them a grasp of the equally eclectic Filipino identity
and culture,” the Consul General said. Kat Popiel, entrepreneurial content marketer and producer, expert in integrated
digital campaigns, international food and travel blogger and a foodie “of the highest
order”, congratulated the organizers of FRW 2016, and cited it as a way to boost the
growing popularity of Filipino food.“It’s an exciting time for Filipino food. We’re seeing our dishes take hero status
because of the likes of Jeepney’s Kamayan feasts in New York and Alvin Cailan’s Unit
120 incubator in California, then watching those ingredients and flavors permeate other
menus,” Popiel said. Addressing the challenges faced by Filipino restauranteurs in mainstreaming
Filipino food, Popiel cited the importance of staying true to the authentic flavor of the
food, supporting each other and being bold in putting Filipino cuisine in the food map.“While it is important to hang on to the authenticity of our dishes, we need to feel
confident to know that our cuisine is there to be shared with everyone, no matter the
variations or changes made,” she challenged. “Taste should always be the central
force. After all, our culinary DNA has always been a halo-halo of flavors as a result of
our socio-political history. It’s this history that has made us fiercely proud to be
Filipinos, always warm, open and hospitable. We must do the same with our food.
It takes a full barrio to push Filipino food forward, from the restaurant, to the chef to the
food lover – let’s do it together.”Among the personalities present were Filipino chefs and restaurant owners who
blazed the trail in elevating Filipino food into New York City’s mainstream
consciousness through their creative work and bold business ventures, either through
pop-up eateries, food trucks or full blown restaurants. These include Nicole Ponseca
(Jeepney and Maharlika), Romy Dorotan (Purple Yam), King Phojanakong (Kuma Inn)
and Aris Tuazon (Ugly Kitchen), whose work have been featured in mainstream print
and broadcast media in the US. Guests at the launch event sampled signature
preparations from the participating restaurants, which ranged from the traditional (crispy
pata, lumpia shanghai and bibingka) to the slightly retooled versions of well-loved
dishes (palabok with aligue, vegetable mélange on cassava ube tamales and cassava
chips with batik).FRW 2016 features 15 Filipino restaurants that offer fixed price three-course
lunches and dinners ($25 and $35, respectively, not including taxes and gratuity) that
showcase the best of Filipino cuisine. It runs from 16 May through 27 May 2016.Complete information about Filipino Restaurant Week 2016 and of the
participating restaurants, including their menu offerings, and how to make reservations
can be found at www.newyorkpcg.org/frw.The participating restaurants of Filipino Restaurant Week 2016: